Software makers VMWare and Red Bend have forged deals with device makers to produce dual-identity smartphones that separate a user's personal and work information on the same device.

With bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs gaining popularity in recent years, cell phone technology is catching up. Mobile software and hardware developers will release new dual-identity phones that will allow a user to have two virtual phones in one device. By allowing one device to have two identities, a user can keep personal and work information separate, Network Worldreported. The technology is expected to be available in the U.S. in the second half of 2013.

VMWare and Red Bend have signed agreements with device manufacturers to create dual-identity phones using some of today's most popular models. Lori Sylvia, Red Bend's executive vice president of marketing, told Network World that employers will have control of the set-up of the phone's work identity. "What goes into the work-phone instance will all be customized on the back end by the IT admins," she said.

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There are two approaches to implementing dual-identity phones. Red Bend uses a Type 1 hypervisor, which runs both instances of the operating system in two separate areas of the processor. VMWare, which has deals in place with LG, Samsung and Motorola, will use a Type 2 hypervisor solution. This type utilizes a guest and host operating system set-up, running one on top of the other.

A dual-identity Droid Razr M smartphone is already available in Japan.